It’s fun to try to discern little differences between these beautiful, Ukrainian born garments and something designed in Spain, for example. I’m not sure I can but I like trying.

I can definitely see that the models belong to a different tribe, and I like seeing that. I’ve written about belonging to a tribe before, here.

I’m a strong believer in the idea that seeing, acknowledging, and appreciating cultural differences is the only path to progress. Yeah, globalism.

What Is It?

So what is this thing called “fashion?” Is fashion empowering? I think, if approached realistically, it can be. It can help to empower marginalized women who truly feel invisible, misunderstood, and disrespected.

The right outfit, fashion, can help put you in a state of mind that helps you get the job.

Fashion can be educational because it tells stories, the stories of people, places, and eras. It can talk about why the suffragette wore white, the bowler hats the Bolivian women wear, and what’s up with those Northern European, flower crowns.

Fashion is aspirational and it always has been.

Because we all have to cloth ourselves, to always want something “better,” no matter how we define that, is natural. I’ve never believed anyone who says they don’t care about what they wear.

I once worked on an organic farm with a woman who had “Friday overalls,” less threadbare, better overalls that she only wore on Fridays.

When refugees are forced to leave their homes, they flee with their “good clothes,” knowing, or just hoping, that someday they’ll be able to wear them again. They might feel like an approximation of themselves again, worthy of respect.

Icon

Question? How many of you have heard of Icon Underwear? I would very much like to know what you think of the product and the website.